Music

Hip-hop wonderland, Kanye to Jay-Z to J. Cole

It's been an interstellar month for hip-hop. Kanye West dropped "Yeezus" in June, and less than a month later his mentor Jay-Z released "Magna Carta ... Holy Grail."

But wait, there's more. Youngster J. Cole released his "Born Sinner" the same week as "Yeezus," making for a potent hip-hop trifecta that has ruled the charts and the headphones alike. Who made the best record? And the worst? The answer might surprise you.

Here are our reviews of all three records, starting with the best of the bunch and working our way down:

Kanye West, "Yeezus" (Def Jam) * * * ½

J. Cole (Kevin Winter, Getty Images)

There's a moment on Kanye West's "Yeezus" when it hits you that you need to give this stripped-down, aggressive piece of work a real chance. It could be when you catch the sample of "Strange Fruit" in "Blood on the Leaves" or even as early as "On Sight" where he says "Thank God almighty, free at last," a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.

For West on "Yeezus," free means cutting out the over-the-top hip-hop production that he helped popularize for his most minimalist work to date.

He's a big-picture guy, and here on "Yeezus" the scope of the project is executed with few ingredients. Sparse drum beats, glitching synthesizers, breathing and screams are machined together with the expert help of Daft Punk, Rick Rubin and Hudson Mohawke.

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With this atmosphere, you get the unmistakable impression on "Yeezus" that he's listening to other artists. Not bad for a guy defined by the love of his own voice. As on "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," West is following the trends and staying on top of them — experimental dance music, indie-folk, underground hip-hop and the neo R&B of Frank Ocean and the Weeknd. You can hear it all in between the space of "Yeezus."

Jay-Z Guillaume Baptiste, Getty Images

The problem, as it has always been for West, is he's a better producer than he is writer and rapper. Between the references to MLK and consumerism and Billie Holiday are the many goofy filler lines about croissants, fur coats and backpacks. They're laughable and on first listen — before hearing some of the intricacies of the production and a few of his smarter symbols — can be far too prominent. But when you hammer these two character traits together with an album of experimental, chaotic beats, you get something ridiculous and insightful, as only Kanye West can be. Matt Miller

J. Cole, "Born Sinner"(Roc Nation) * * * ½

Just think of the pressure rapper-producer J. Cole faced when he released his debut "Cole World" in 2011. The North Carolina MC was the first signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, and he already had production credits on his mentor's recent tracks. Taking the Kanye West-styled fast track, could Cole best the expectations?

"Cole World" topped the charts after the savvy, pop-rooted hip-hop jams "Work Out" and "Can't Get Enough" connected at radio. The success created a whole new set of expectations for the rapper: Can he rock past the sophomore slump?

The recent release of "Born Sinner" signals the arrival of a true talent. "Cole World" crushed it, introducing us to a sample-smart producer who could also rhyme. "Born Sinner" is an elevated listen, a record that proves Cole's debut wasn't a fluke.

Lead single "Power Trip" features a smooth-jam chorus from Miguel and a memorable hook from Cole, but it's hardly the best track here. Album-opener "Villuminati" shows an astounding dexterity, starting with apocalyptic production and a sly Notorious B.I.G. sample and closing with some intense lyrical work. "Sometimes I brag like Hov," he starts, the first of many references to his boss Jay-Z. If you're curious how J. Cole landed at Jay-Z's label, listen carefully as there is triumph and defeat in his story. And check Cole's style while you're at it. Whether it's his vocalized "pause" or his song-closing hat-tip to Jay-Z ("Allow me to reintroduce myself/My name is Cole"), Cole's quirk and creativity never let things get stale.

Cole drops a Cults sample into the melodic "She Knows," and his shoutout to R&B's fallen (Aaliyah, Left Eye, Michael Jackson) is surprisingly touching. Things come full circle in "Crooked Smile," which features Left Eye's former bandmates T-Boz and Chilli of TLC. Ricardo Baca

Jay-Z, "Magna Carta ... Holy Grail"(Roc Nation) * *

On "Magna Carta ... Holy Grail," Jay-Z brings new meaning to the lyrics that tipped the shift of his career: "I'm not a businessman/I'm a business, man." From the 2005 remix of Kanye West's "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," that line signified Jay-Z's return from music retirement as a CEO.

Now, eight years later, he's Jay-Z the hip-hop mogul still trying to tell his rags-to-riches story through a slew of guest spots and producers with hopes of turning a profit. Take the first track on the new album, "Holy Grail," for example, where the use of a Justin Timberlake chorus and the rights to some Nirvana lyrics seem like smart business expenses in order to sell albums. Falling in love with the hook seems as silly as falling in love with an ad jingle.

Really you can't expect much to inspire a man like Jay-Z. (What else is there beyond his daughter Blu Ivy?) Given his own upbringing, Jay-Z questions his ability as a father and raising a child in the public spotlight on "Jay Z Blue (Daddy Dearest)." It's the only true emotion you'll find on "Magna Carta." But his other inspirations — becoming a billionaire, his corporation — hardly serve as relatable, or even compelling material.

Even musically, the wealth of producers on the album seems to have led to a clutter of tastes and sonic themes. Matt Miller

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